By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku
8 OCTOBER 2026
Reporting for GhanaianNewsCanada
Ghana has announced plans to formally apply for membership of BRICS, marking a significant development in the country’s foreign and economic policy as the government seeks to broaden its international partnerships beyond traditional Western allies.
The decision was approved by Cabinet under President John Dramani Mahama, with Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announcing the move during the visit of India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to Accra.
The government says the proposed membership is intended to create new opportunities for trade, investment, industrialisation and economic cooperation while giving Ghana greater room to pursue its national interests in an increasingly multipolar world.
However, Ghana has not yet become a BRICS member. The country is preparing to submit its formal application and seek the support of existing BRICS members. India has expressed support for Ghana’s aspirations, although Jaishankar stressed that membership would ultimately be subject to consideration by the wider grouping.
Why Ghana wants to join BRICS
According to the government, the decision is largely about diversifying Ghana’s international partnerships.
Ablakwa said Ghana wants partners that will treat the country as an equal and support its ambitions for industrialisation, job creation and sustainable economic growth.
The government’s argument is that Ghana should not rely exclusively on one group of countries or institutions when seeking investment, markets, technology and development financing.
The Information Services Department quoted the Foreign Affairs Minister as saying Ghana wants greater “resource sovereignty” and partners who share its commitment to industrialisation and economic transformation.
The move forms part of the government’s broader economic agenda, which seeks to move Ghana beyond economic stabilisation towards a more productive economy based on manufacturing, technology, job creation and greater value addition to the country’s natural resources.
What is BRICS?
BRICS began with Brazil, Russia, India and China, before South Africa joined, creating the acronym BRICS.
The grouping has since expanded to include several other emerging economies, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
The expanded BRICS grouping has become an important platform for countries seeking greater influence for emerging economies in global economic and political affairs.
One of its key institutions is the New Development Bank, which was established to finance infrastructure and sustainable-development projects in member countries and other eligible economies.
For Ghana, closer engagement with BRICS could potentially create additional opportunities for investment, infrastructure financing, technology transfer and access to emerging markets.
However, analysts have cautioned that membership would not automatically guarantee new markets, financing or investment. The actual benefits would depend on Ghana’s ability to negotiate and implement commercially viable agreements.
India emerges as an important partner
Ghana’s announcement came during a visit to Accra by India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
The timing highlighted the growing relationship between Ghana and India.
The two countries recently elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership, with discussions covering agriculture, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, mining, railways, digital technology, defence, renewable energy and skills development.
Two memoranda of understanding were also signed during Jaishankar’s visit, covering agricultural research and education as well as biodiversity cooperation.
India has also expressed support for Ghana’s BRICS aspirations.
Jaishankar said India has historically been sympathetic to Ghana’s aspirations and goals but noted that the application must ultimately be considered collectively by BRICS members.
The two countries are also discussing further cooperation in railway development, pharmaceuticals, digital technology and defence.
Ghana is seeking to expand its railway network following the completion and operationalisation of the Tema-Mpakadan Railway Project, which was developed with Indian support.
What could BRICS mean for Ghana’s relationship with Europe?
Ghana’s move toward BRICS could raise questions about the country’s relationship with European countries and other traditional Western partners.
The European Union remains an important partner for Ghana in areas including trade, investment, development cooperation, security, agriculture, energy and private-sector development.
Ghana also has longstanding relationships with countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
However, the Mahama administration has indicated that joining BRICS is not intended to replace those relationships.
Instead, the government says Ghana wants to expand its range of international partners.
This means Accra could continue cooperating with European countries while simultaneously deepening economic relationships with China, India, Brazil, South Africa and other BRICS members.
That approach would give Ghana more diplomatic and economic options as global power becomes increasingly distributed among different centres.
Could Europe see Ghana differently?
Ghana’s BRICS application could nevertheless attract greater attention from European governments because some BRICS members have very different foreign-policy positions from Europe.
Russia, for example, remains at odds with many European governments over the war in Ukraine.
China is simultaneously an important economic partner for Europe and a major strategic competitor in several sectors.
Iran is also subject to extensive Western sanctions.
Ghana’s membership would therefore place it within a grouping containing countries whose relations with Europe vary considerably.
That does not mean Ghana would automatically adopt the foreign policies of those countries.
In fact, Ghanaian officials have stressed that the country’s foreign policy should remain centred on national interest and strategic independence.
Foreign-policy analyst Dr. Nana Yaw Mireku told Citi FM that BRICS membership could give Ghana additional “options” in negotiating and engaging internationally, while cautioning that membership should not be viewed as an automatic guarantee of economic benefits.
Ghana could use competing partnerships to attract investment
One potential advantage for Ghana is that greater engagement with BRICS could increase competition among international investors.
Ghana needs investment in areas including mining, agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, pharmaceuticals and technology.
Instead of relying heavily on a single group of investors, Accra could potentially engage companies and governments from Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and the wider Global South.
For Ghana, the challenge will be ensuring that those partnerships result in local jobs, technology transfer, domestic processing and long-term economic value rather than simply increasing exports of raw materials.
The government’s emphasis on resource sovereignty reflects this objective.
Gold and natural resources could become important
Ghana’s position as one of Africa’s major gold producers also gives it significant economic relevance within the emerging-market system.
The government wants to move beyond exporting raw materials and increase domestic processing and value addition.
BRICS membership could potentially help Ghana explore new partnerships around mining technology, mineral processing, manufacturing and investment.
However, these opportunities would depend on the terms Ghana negotiates with individual countries and companies.
Membership itself would not guarantee that Ghana receives better prices for its commodities or automatically attract investors.
Ghana is not choosing between BRICS and Europe — for now
The government’s position is that Ghana can maintain its traditional relationships while expanding into new international partnerships.
This is important because Ghana’s economy remains deeply connected to Europe and other Western economies.
The country does not need to choose between:
BRICS or Europe.
Instead, the government’s stated strategy is closer to:
BRICS + Europe + United States + Africa + other emerging economies.
That approach reflects a broader shift in international diplomacy toward a more multipolar world, where countries increasingly seek relationships with several major powers rather than remaining closely aligned with one geopolitical bloc.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry has specifically said Ghana’s proposed BRICS membership would complement rather than replace its existing relationships with traditional development and financial partners.
The potential challenges
While the BRICS opportunity could create new avenues for Ghana, the move also comes with challenges.
Ghana will have to manage its relationships carefully if disagreements emerge between BRICS countries and European or North American partners.
Issues involving Russia, China, trade, sanctions, international security and voting at the United Nations could occasionally put Ghana in diplomatically difficult positions.
There is also the question of expectations.
Joining BRICS will not automatically solve Ghana’s economic problems.
The country would still need to maintain macroeconomic stability, improve its business environment, strengthen institutions and negotiate agreements that deliver measurable benefits to Ghanaians.
As analyst Nana Yaw Mireku has warned, membership does not automatically mean BRICS countries will simply open their markets to Ghana.
A new chapter in Ghana’s foreign policy
Ghana’s decision to formally apply for BRICS membership represents a significant attempt by the Mahama administration to broaden the country’s economic and diplomatic choices.
The government says the objective is not to abandon Ghana’s long-standing relationships with Europe, the United States or international financial institutions, but to create additional partnerships that can support investment, industrialisation, technology and job creation.
For Ghana, the success of the strategy will ultimately depend less on the symbolism of joining BRICS and more on what the country is able to negotiate from its membership and partnerships.
If Ghana succeeds in maintaining strong relationships with Europe and North America while simultaneously building productive partnerships with India, China, Brazil, the Middle East and other emerging economies, Accra could gain greater room to pursue its economic priorities.
For now, however, Ghana remains an applicant, not a full BRICS member.
The formal application and the response from existing BRICS members will determine the next stage of the process.
